Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Don't Look Behind You by Lois Duncan, published by Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1989.

Being told that life as you know it is over, that you have to move to another state and assume a new identity might indeed seem like the end of the world. Especially if you're seventeen and Prom is just a couple weeks away.

Told in first person, this story definitely falls into the category of suspense rather than traditional mystery as April and the reader wait for the hitman to catch up with her family. Following the story of a teen forced into the witness protection program because of her father's testimony is a compelling setup. April (who later becomes Valerie) makes several mistakes that results in the hitman finding the family's home.

I found this was also made into a TV movie starring Patrick Duffy in 1999. Several of Duncan's other books have also been made into movies including Hotel for Dogs.